I'm available for freelance work at centres throughout Scotland. I have well over ten years
personal experience of the outdoors, with kayaking a particular speciality and have worked
full-time in the outdoor industry since 2004. I work hard, learn quickly and manage to be wildly
enthusiastic (almost!) all of the time. I've spent the last couple of seasons working with "naughty" groups.
Contact me for a chat.
Qualifications and experience
| Paddlesport
| Inland Level 5 training, Level 4, 5*
Sea 5* training, 4*
Canoe Level 2 training, 3*
FSRT provider
Aquatic first aid provider
| Loads of experience paddling and leading groups in kayaks and duckies on rivers as well as instructing flat water sessions. Personal paddling highlights include the Upper Oetz (Austria), Verdon grand canyon (France), Kakopotahi and Wanganui (New Zealand) and Sun Kosi (Nepal).
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| First aid
| REC Advanced (expires October 2010)
HSE (expires July 2010)
| HSE trainer BCU aquatic first aid provider
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| Climbing
| SPA
| Sessions for a huge variety groups at venues all over Scotland and north Wales. I've very occasionally been known to lead up to HVS 5b, but tend to whimper much less when I stick to HS.
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| Mountaineering
| ML (summer) ML (winter) training.
| In addition to all the usual UK experience, I've meandered round the Dolomites, the Andes, the Falklands and Antarctica
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| Mountain biking
| TCL training
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| Mining
| LCMLA level 1 training LCMLA level 2 training
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| Gorge/Coasteering
| SRT level 1 SRT advanced Provisional SRT trainer
| Plenty of experience leading groups in wet and dry gorges.
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| Other bits and pieces
| Physics degree (MPhys) from Pembroke, Oxford, 4 A-levels (all A).
3 years working as a meteorologist for the British Antarctic Survey, including a 2½ year stint on an Antarctic base. Deputy base commander during winter 2000.
Met office weather forecaster for 2½ years, including work for the BBC and RAF.
Skiing and paragliding (elementary pilot).
Leader for the John Muir award.
Acoustic guitarist. Basic spoken French and Spanish.
Plenty of IT experience, including programming and webpage design.
Full clean driving licence with D1+E entitlement and a MIDAS test (valid until 2011).
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